Dedicated volunteers, parents, alumni and business leaders committed to the future of Maize students.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors governs the activities and sets the policies for the Foundation, its Directors, Members and Volunteers, Directors currently each serve three-year terms and meet once a month.
Executive Committee
Terry Johnson (MHS Class of 1997) - Project Teacher
President
Kelli Parson - USD266
Vice President & Treasurer
Jose Astorga-Marquez - KSpirit AeroSystems
Secretary
Tyler Harrison (MHS Class of 2008) - Heartland Credit Union
Past-President
Directors
Brandon Brungardt - Hutton
Lyndsey Brown - Wichita State University
Lea Ann Gabbert - Credit Union of America
Cristy Kerbs - ReeceNichols
Members at Large
Members at Large consistently attend monthly board meetings or serve on projects committees to help carry out Foundation efforts. Serving in this capacity allows individuals to get to know the Foundation more deeply before committing to the responsibilities of a Director.
Mike Strelow - CM3 Mechanical
Cait Gregory - Textron Aviation
Ex-Officio Members
Our Ex-Officio members provide additional points of view and connection to the district and Maize communities. While providing much needed support and insight these members serve in a non-voting capacity.
Emi Simmons - Director
Dr. Raquel Greer - USD 266 Superintendent of Schools
Lori O’Toole Buselt - USD 266 Executive Director of Communications
Interested in learning more about our meetings and how you can be a part of the Maize Education Foundation? Contact us!
BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
Meet our current Board President, Brandon Brungardt. Brandon joined our board in 2017, because he wanted a way to support USD 266 once his oldest child started school.
Brandon works for Hutton, and has been an integral part of the last three school bond projects for Maize USD 266. Brandon is a devoted husband and father, whose time revolves around his two boys, Mason and Miles. Brandon and his wife Tessa enjoy spending time outside watching the boys compete in just about every sport. The boys have even started to enjoy following Brandon around on the golf course!
Brandon is an asset to our board. He joined during a challenging and transitional time, and was quickly thrusted into the role of Board President. Since then, he has shaped the strategy of the Maize Education Foundation and strengthened our relationships with the community.
CADY JACKSON
Meet one of our newest board members, Cady Jackson. A 2008 graduate of Maize High School and former district employee, she works as an Education Program Manager for Dell Technologies, supporting the business by designing and delivering education on topics of social media and communications. Outside of work, you'll find her reading, binge-watching Survivor, or chasing her toddler around.
She worked as a high school English teacher for nine years, and notes that "after I left teaching, I knew it was important to me to continue supporting public education. As a graduate of the district, a former employee of the district, and a friend and family member of many current Maize students and employees, I knew that I wanted to focus those efforts on my local community."
Travis Bloom, MEF executive director, notes that Cady's coaching and teaching skills have been extremely beneficial to the Foundation's efforts. "Cady came onto the scene at exactly the right time and has helped every one of us with various aspects of branding and communications styles, which is directly impacting our reach as an organization. She's an incredible content creator, and much of what you see on our social media is thanks to her time and efforts."
Thank you, Cady, for continuing to support Maize USD 266 and for helping us to share real-life stories with our OneMa1ze Community that demonstrate how their support is impacting the lives of students and teachers every day.
TERRY JOHNSON
We want to take a moment and tell you about one of our newer board members. Terry Johnson was installed as a board member in November of 2021. Terry works at Grace Point Church, but may be better known for his work as the Executive Director of Project Teacher -- a local non-profit that distributes school supplies and resources to teachers and their students free, year-round. Project Teacher is the only teacher resource center of its kind in the state, and in 8 years, they have distributed nearly $10 million in supplies to area teachers, including many of those in the Maize district.
Terry has been an invaluable addition to our board. He's both a parent of district students and graduate of the district, which means he has a unique perspective and vested interest in seeing the district thrive. Terry's background and training in nonprofit administration means that he brings fresh insight and expertise in identifying support resources and pursuing outside funding from other grant-giving organization.
Thank you, Terry, for your service to the Maize Education Foundation and to teachers across the state of Kansas through your work at Project Teacher.